FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Gita Brown, 401-456-8465, gbrown@ric.edu
Laura Hart, 401-456-8977, lhart@ric.edu
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – International dance troupes and several student works are featured at Rhode Island College this spring.
On Thursday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m., Dance Brazil brings a fusion of live Afro-Brazilian music, contemporary dance and “capoeira” – a traditional dance/martial arts form that originated in Africa and evolved in colonial Brazil as a means of fighting enslavement. The New York Times calls these dancers “a treat to the senses.” The production will be staged in the auditorium in Roberts Hall. Reserved seating is $35.
In “Phoenix Rising,” the Japanese-based TAO dance company combines athleticism with explosive Taiko drumming. TAO artists live and train at a compound in the mountains of Japan, reaching virtuosity after years of intensive study. TAO performers are renown for extraordinary precision, energy and stamina. This production takes place on Thursday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium in Roberts Hall. Reserved seating is $35.
On Tuesday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m., Alonzo King LINES Ballet explores movement from a global perspective. The New York Times described the choreography as “an appealing combination – [they are] balletic enough to reassure [and yet] strange enough to let audiences feel they are venturing onto new terrain.” This performance takes place in the auditorium in Roberts Hall. Reserved seating is $35.
RIC’s Dance Company has three student productions lined up this season. The annual Spring Dance Concert Series, staged in Sapinsley Hall on Feb. 14–16, showcases the works of diverse choreographers, including RIC dance professor Angelica Vessella. Evening and matinee performances are available. General admission is $15. And on May 1 and 2, at 7:30 p.m., the Annual Student Choreography Showcase showcases the choreographic skills of RIC students. The production is in the Forman Theatre. General admission is $15.
The RIC Dance Company will also collaborate with RIC alumna Kellie Ann Lynch, a choreographer who co-founded the Elm City Dance Collective, in a piece titled “Almost Porcelain,” which is a dramatization of Lynch’s personal struggle with self-perception, the endless torment of perfection and the notion of beauty. Performances are Thursday and Friday, March 27 and 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Forman Theatre. General admission is $15.
For tickets, visit www.ric.edu/pfa or call the RIC Box Office at (401) 456-8144. RIC is located at 600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Providence.
